Why women of lower educational attainment struggle to make healthier food choices: the importance of psychological and social factors.

TY - JOUR

T1 - Why women of lower educational attainment struggle to make healthier food choices

T2 - the importance of psychological and social factors.

AU - Lawrence, Wendy

AU - Skinner, Chas

AU - Haslam, Cheryl

AU - Robinson, Sian

AU - Inskip, Hazel

AU - Barker, David

AU - Cooper, Cyrus

AU - Jackson, Alan

AU - Barker, Mary

PY - 2009/1/1

Y1 - 2009/1/1

N2 - Women of lower educational attainment are more likely to eat unhealthy diets than women of higher educational attainment. To identify influences on the food choices of women with lower educational attainment, 11 focus groups (eight with women of lower, and three with women of higher educational attainment) were held. Using a semi-structured discussion guide, environmental, social, historical and psychological factors known to be associated with food choice were explored. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Compared to women of higher educational attainment, women of lower educational attainment had less control over their families' food choices, less support for attempts to eat healthily, fewer opportunities to observe and learn good food-related practices, more negative affect, more perceived environmental constraints and more ambiguous beliefs about the consequences of eating a nutritious diet. These findings provide a starting point for taking forward the design of an intervention to improve the diets of young women.

AB - Women of lower educational attainment are more likely to eat unhealthy diets than women of higher educational attainment. To identify influences on the food choices of women with lower educational attainment, 11 focus groups (eight with women of lower, and three with women of higher educational attainment) were held. Using a semi-structured discussion guide, environmental, social, historical and psychological factors known to be associated with food choice were explored. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Compared to women of higher educational attainment, women of lower educational attainment had less control over their families' food choices, less support for attempts to eat healthily, fewer opportunities to observe and learn good food-related practices, more negative affect, more perceived environmental constraints and more ambiguous beliefs about the consequences of eating a nutritious diet. These findings provide a starting point for taking forward the design of an intervention to improve the diets of young women.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=69749084044&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/08870440802460426

DO - 10.1080/08870440802460426

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 20205042

AN - SCOPUS:69749084044

SN - 0887-0446

VL - 24

SP - 1003

EP - 1020

JO - Psychology and Health

JF - Psychology and Health

IS - 9

ER -